Zero to Hero
by Girl-of-Action
Summary: When Danny is invited to join the A-listers, he isn't sure what to think. He knows that Dash is over his crush on Jazz, so that can't be it. What's more, even when Danny got into the popular crowd thanks to his sister, he was never treated so… Well, suffice to say, nice doesn't come close to what's happening. Is this a prank? Whatever it is, Danny is determined to not fall for it.
1. Chapter 1

**Summary: When Danny is invited to join the A-listers, he isn't sure what to think. He knows that Dash is long over his fleeting crush on Jazz, so that can't be it. What's more, even when Danny got into the popular crowd thanks to his sister, he was never treated so… Well, suffice to say, nice doesn't even cover what's happening. Is this a prank? Something else? Whatever it is, Danny is determined to have no part in it. Too bad the A listers are just as determined with whatever they have planned.**

 **Genres: Friendship, Mystery (Eh, kinda)**

 **Disclaimer: I don't own Danny Phantom and never will.**

 **_**

To say that Danny is unnerved would be an understatement. All day the A-listers have been throwing constant glances at him. They're trying to be subtle, but the popular kids have no experience in subtly and so are failing miserably. "Oh man, oh man, what do they want with us?" Tucker whimpers in question across their cafeteria lunch table, Meanwhile he clutches to his chest his newest PDA, fondly named "Silvia".

"Calm down Tuck." Danny tries ease his friend's fear. "They're only looking at me. Not you."

"And that's supposed to make it better?" Tucker hisses back in worry. "You know I can't abandon you, dude. Whatever they have planned, I'll be by your side, whether stuffed into smelly locker or hanging from our tighty whities on the flagpole." Danny would be more heartened by this if his friend didn't just blatantly flinch at the last comment, not that Danny can blame him. He is still confused and a little freaked out himself by how Dash and Kwan managed to get them up on the gosh-darned _flagpole_ some months back.

"Thanks man," Danny says nonetheless with a small smile. He knows it is selfish; he should be trying to persuade Tucker to do otherwise. Yet, misery can't help but love company…

"What are you two blabbering about?" Sam snaps while unconsciously (and viciously) mutilating her salad with her plastic spork. "Sure, we need to keep up appearances, but that doesn't mean we should just stay put and take whatever they have planned," she proclaims with a dark look in her eyes.

Danny sighs. "Listen, I get you, really, but weren't you the one to say that I shouldn't use my powers on them? And you were proven right too. Remember Sidney?" He reminds and points out, before starting with trepidation at the goth's unrecognizable salad. The lettuce looks like ghostly entrails and the tomatoes like splattered blood. How something once so mundane could be made into so disturbing and in such a short amount of time is beyond him.

A small smirk makes its way to purple painted lips. "I didn't say to use your powers, Danny. There are other ways to make them back off."

Before Danny can ask ' _like what?'_ one of the A-listers steals another glance at Danny. This time it's Paulina. "That's it." Sam practically growls, standing with her spork clutched threateningly in one hand. Her grip is white knuckled.

Tucker blinks incredulously at the makeshift weapon in hand. "What are you going to do with a _plastic spork_?" he wonders out loud.

Sam smiles knowingly, _evilly_. "Oh, you'll see. I can get _pretty_ creative..."

Panicking a bit, Danny rushes to pull Sam back onto the bench. "C'mon, Sam. Chill out. They haven't even done anything yet but act a little weird."

"And creepy. Don't forget creepy," Tucker adds helpfully.

Danny shoots him a glower. _Not helping_ , he mouths at the darkly skinned boy, who has the decency to appear sheepish at the reprimand. "Weird, creepy, whatever you want to call it, it can't mean anything but trouble," curtly replies a frustrated Sam. " _Painful_ trouble. So excuse me for not sitting here like an idiot and instead getting to the bottom of this before it's too late." The goth girl announces heatedly, but Danny holds her down. Usually Danny is wimpy when it comes to strength and endurance in his human form. Right now though, his desperation gives him strength. The last thing Danny wants is for the A-listers to adjust their cruel (and likely humiliating) scheme to include Sam as well... If Sam goes through with her threat, that is _exactly_ what would happen too. No doubt about it.

"Let _go_ Danny," Sam protests.

"No," he returns stubbornly.

"Uh, guys…" Tucker pips up, voice shaking.

"It won't help, Sam. Seriously, you'll only make things worse," Danny informs seriously.

"What was that?!" Sam whispers menacingly under her breath, amethyst eyes training furiously on her friend.

" _Dudes,_ cut it out-" Tucker is cut off before he can go on.

"I- I didn't mean it like that," Danny squeaks, trying to take back his words. It doesn't work, especially since he still refuses to let Sam go.

"Really?" Sarcasm drips like poison. "'Cause I-"

" _Guys!"_ Tucker finally snaps, face twitching.

"What?" They snap back. Tucker only points behind them. They look. There stands Dash Baxter, towering over Danny.

"Oh. Hey Dash," Danny greets, chuckling nervously and rubbing the back of his neck. Sam smashes her spork into the lone remaining tomato on her plate. Red splatters gruesomely across leffy remains. Even Dash would have been slightly put-off by the display, if he weren't devoting all his attention to the boy sitting beside her.

"Fenton," Dash says with a hard expression, standing tall in his usual attempt to seem tough. Of course, he would conveniently forget all pretences in face of ghosts, even as one as weak as the Box Ghost. The thought makes Sam seethe, Tucker amused, and Danny briefly pity.

Team Phantom waits for the notorious school bully to go on.

And waits.

And waits some more.

The three of them share a glance, eyebrows raised in bewilderment. Tucker begins to quietly move away from the table, motioning his friends to follow. He figures that they shouldn't look a gift horse in the mouth and should just leave while they can. Sam purses her lips tightly, conflicted, but then reluctantly agrees and does the same. Danny… Darn his bleeding heart, stays. _Something is seriously wrong here,_ he thinks, unsure if he should be more scared for himself or more worried for the blonde jock. "Erm… You ok, dude?" Danny meekly inquires, deciding on the latter. Tucker is horrified by the decision. Sam, completely peeved.

Whatever daze Dash was in, this finally snaps him out of it. Mutely, he extends something clutched tightly in one hand. Danny squints at it. "Is that…?"

"We want you to join us, Danny," Dash alludes mysteriously. Yep. Being offered to Danny is an A-list file with literally his name on it, more or less his ticket to the popular crowd.

"What?!" The rest of Team Phantom shrieks, stunned by the development.

Stupefied and equally incredulous, Danny grasps for a reasonable explanation to his change in fortune. He peers up with ice blue eyes into Dash's own, attempting to locate any traces of green or red. _Something has to be overshadowing him. This is just too weird._ Dash only stares back, seeming frozen in place. Then, without any warning, Dash _cracks._ Wilts under the icy gaze and into a mess of pleading and fumbling. __

"Listen, Fenton. I'm sorry, ok? You're not a loser. You're cool. And me? I'm a jerk. An ass. A- well, you get the picture." Apparently Dash's pride, even as shaken as it seems to now be, won't allow him to say more than that. Not that Danny is complaining. His friends are fairly certain that his mind just broke, and they're honestly not doing much better. A sarcastic comment is on the tip of Sam's tongue, _you don't say, Dash._ For some reason though, she can't force her vocal cords to work. Tucker holds his PDA close like a security blanket, ready to grab his friends and high tail it out of there the moment Dash regains his senses. Mentioned football star continues. "Anyways, point is- you deserve to be an A-lister, _the_ A-lister. So here." He flings the file at Danny like its burning him.

On instinct, Danny catches it. He twitches and scrutinizes the file, as if it would come to life like his mother's last week's, ectoplasmic infected meatloaf. It doesn't. Danny shudders, disturbed beyond words at this bizarre situation. Ectoplasmic infected meatloaf is _normal_ in comparison to this. _Really_ _Weird. A year ago and I would be jump at the chance, forget the consequences. Now though..._ "Um, wow, ok…" Danny manages to say, slowly looking back up. "As awesome as it is to hear you say that, I'm not buying it dude." Danny's mouth goes dry at the sincerely crestfallen demeanor that suddenly overcomes the jock.

Voice cracking, Dash quickly mumbles, "I'm not lying, I swear." And then leaves without another word. Team Phantom watches him go incomprehensibly.

Then, sharing a fearful look, shout, " _Run!_ " They do, oblivious to the yells of the lunch ladies and not giving a second thought to their own food. Not even when the nerds who've had their lunch money stolen that day descend upon it like vultures do the teens care. A few minutes later Team Phantom finds themselves in a janitor's closet, one lone bulb lighting up the cramped room.

"Coast is clear," Sam announces in a hard tone of voice, closing the door softly. "For now, anyways."

"Oh Silvia, baby. Please, help me forget my worries," Tucker says in a whimper to his beloved technology, fiercely typing some string of coding to distract himself. He stoutly ignores the rather grossed out expressions of his friends.

"Ugh, put that away Tucker," Sam mutters, wrinkling her nose.

"I agree with Sam. You sound like- I don't even want to think about," mutters Danny, shifting uncomfortably.

Tucker snorts. "Please. It's not any worse than you two lovebirds."

"We're not lovebirds!" They insist heatedly.

"Keep it down," Tucker hisses, glancing at the door nervously. The pair calms down, also glancing at the door. Nothing happens though, and finally they decide to get down to business.

"Well… I guess we should take a look at this," Danny comment reluctantly. He sits down on the floor but hesitates to open up the file. His hands are shaking. "This is stupid." He knows all too well, and chuckles hoarsely.

"What is, exactly?" Sam asks curiously. "I'll be the first to admit this situation is bizarre, but stupid? This might be the A-listers' best thought-out and cruelest plot yet," she admits sourly, more than suspicious. They all are.

"I mean…" Danny licks his chaps lips. "I've taken on the freakin' _Ghost King_ before, not to mention Vlad Plasmius' craziness on a near weekly basis. Yet here I am now, freaking out over a few snobby high schoolers sending me weird looks."

"It's not just that, dude," Tucker reveals kindly, lowering Silvia. "You can't fight back against the A-lister like you would a ghost. Plus, _Dash Baxter_ just came over and _apologized_! If that isn't a sign of the apocalypse, I don't know what is." Danny nods adamantly, his already light complexion paling further.

Sam shoots Tucker a scolding look, frowning deeply. "Geez. You consider that helping?"

Tucker shrugs. "What can I say? I'm a realist. Gotta put things into perspective."

"No way…" This comes from Danny. Tucker and Sam turn to find him hunched over a now open file, clutching the edges so tightly that his fingernails make visible imprints on the other side.

"What's up?" Tuck questions as he and Sam huddles around the halfa.

"Guys, Dash gave me _his_ file." He looks up at them with wide eyes.

There is silence for a long moment. "Wha…?" Tuck's eyes take on a glazed appearance that practically screams _does not compute_. Naturally, they are thrown into a state of disbelief. They all know that if Dash gave Danny his file, then Dash would no longer be the most popular freshman in school… Danny would.

"Let me see that," Sam demands, antsy as she rips the file away from Danny.

"Hey!" he protests with a scowl, but Sam ignores him.

Her eyes quickly scan over the file while her lips purse tightly. "Maybe he made a mistake?" She reasons, but the excuse is found lacking by them all.

Danny shakes his head. "No way Dash would make a mistake like this."

"Unless… Unless he's being overshadowed," Tucker determines triumphantly.

"Already checked his eyes, and my ghost sense hasn't gone off all day…" Danny's voice trails off uncertainly, trying to find any fault in his own reasoning. Overshadowing would be so easy to accept, if only...

"Besides, why would some ghost want to make Danny an A-lister?" Sam adds, tapping her foot in thought.

"I dunno." Tucker shrugs, disappointed that his idea was so easily and swiftly tossed aside. "Thought it'd make more sense than anything else."

"Well, we shouldn't rule it out just yet. You do have a point, after all," Danny remarks hopefully, then feels immediately guilty. He shouldn't be hoping that his classmates are possessed by some ghost, no matter how terrible they might be. "I got an idea." Danny suddenly pips up in a moment of inspiration. He may have put more enthusiasm into that than he should have.

"For real?!" Sam questions with exaggerated enthusiasm, teasing him good-naturedly.

Danny rolls his eyes with a slight smile. "For real. Hear me out." He trains his gaze on the bespectacled boy next to him. "Tuck, can you hack into one of their phones?"

Tucker's brown eyes light up with understanding. "Consider it done," he responds smoothly, wiping out his PDA and setting to work. Within moments he's finished. Sam leans over his shoulder to see, before pulling back and rolling her amethyst eyes.

" _Paulina_ , of course," she spats disdainfully, as if the name is some curse.

Danny has a distinctly different reaction. His eyes light up (not literally, they stay blue). He eagerly leans over to peak at Tucker's PDA. Sure enough, on screen appears to be the homepage of Paulina's cell phone if the Danny Phantom background covered in hearts is anything to go by. Danny finds himself blushing, still unused the idea of Paulina being head over heals for him, even if it's only for his Phantom side. "Lemme see," he urges Tucker quickly, going to snatch the phone away.

"Oh no you don't; Silvia's mine!" Tuck protests, pulling the PDA away and triggering Danny to be instantly peeved.

"Come on, Tuck! Give me a break," he whines pitifully, giving his best kicked puppy look. Sam facepalms. Tucker's expression morphs to one of sympathy.

"I guess if I were in your shoes I'd be curious too…" he mutters. "Fine. But be careful! You'll pay if there's even a _scratch_ on Silvia's beautiful screen," he warns, and actually sounds pretty threatening.

"Duly noted," Danny responds seriously. The moment the PDA is passed to him however, he is a giddy fourteen year old boy once more. "Holy…" he breathes.

"What?!" Tucker asks, hopping up and down some like an excited puppy.

Danny grins like an idiot. "There's a _fan club_ for me, with an internet page and everything. And get this- she's _president_ of it."

"You're kidding!" Tucker accuses automatically, mind whirling. If only _he_ could have a fan club with a hot president…

"Dude, it's true. Take a look at this!" Danny shows him the screen. Sure enough, the proof is there. Tucker points to the number of club members. They mutually give a slow, appreciative whistle.

"Guys? Don't you have an _actual_ purpose for going through Paulina's phone? Before, you know, you both started fawning like a pair of hopelessly infatuated, hormonal idiots?" Sam questions matter-of-factly.

"Hm? What was that, Sam?" Danny inquires distractedly, now going through the hundreds of pictures on Paulina's phone… Nearly all of which are of him.

"Unbelievable..." Sam mutters, resisting the urge to smash her head against the nearest wall. Repeatedly. Raising her voice, she tries again. "Uh, _hello._ Earth to morons. We're trying to find out the A-listers plot, remember?" She feels kinda bad for insulting her friends so much, but they really have it coming in her opinion. The way they are acting is _disgusting_.

Danny finally manages to regain his senses. "Sorry…" He chuckles sheepishly, slowing his scrolling through the pictures. "Guess I got kinda carried a-"

"Danny!"

"What?!" yelps the mentioned boy, alarmed. Tucker points at the screen. Danny obliges him and promptly gaps. "What the heck…?" This catches Sam's attention. She was about to start banging her head against something, but Danny's last comment was worrisome. He sounded legitly freaked out, and not in the same, happy way he did a few moments before.

"What is it?" Sam asks, gnawing lightly on her bottom lip. They show her. The last fifty or so pics on Paulina's phone are not of Danny Phantom… They are of Danny _Fenton._


	2. Chapter 2

**Girl-of-Action- I do not own Danny Phantom and never will.**

* * *

"And just _where_ is Mr. Baxter?"

Danny watches critically as Kwan trades nervous looks with Dale, another jock sitting next to him. Dale only shrugs in response to his friend's silent plea. "... Nurse's office?" Kwan finally offers unconvincingly. Danny represses a snort. Sam rolls her eyes from her seat to the right of the halfa. Tucker is oblvious, tapping away at his PDA from behind his English textbook.

Mr. Lancer narrows his eyes in suspicion at the Asian American, tapping his pen against a clipboard in hand. Kwan shifts in his seat in obvious discomfort at being put on the spot. "Well…" drawls the out-of-shape school teacher. "Give him my regards. I hope he feels better soon, especially with the next game this Friday…" He shoots Kwan a warning look, who in return blinks and nods slowly in understanding.

 _Of course…_ Danny moans internally, setting a hand on his forehead and dragging it down over his face. _Lancer won't call Kwan and Dash out on such an obvious excuse, but if I'm even five minutes late? Detention._ So involved in his mental grumblings, Danny doesn't notice his teacher until he's right in front of him.

"Mr. Fenton. I hope you don't plan on falling asleep in my class. We're starting on Hamlet today, one of the most renowned plays known to civilization… I expect your undivided attention."

Danny looks up at Mr. Lancer and represses a sigh, resentful that the man is singling him out for no real reason… Well, that's not exactly true; Danny _does_ sleep in this class a lot… Mr. Lancer just doesn't realize it's for a good cause. Late night ghost hunting is hard work. Ghosts, unlike humans and halfas, don't require sleep after all. Pushing aside all resentment and worries concerning the A-listers, Danny gives the man a cheeky grin. "Hey, doesn't that play have some creepy Ghost King? And isn't he supposed to be good too?!' Danny questions with exaggerated excitement, leaning over his desk in interest. Since Sam is a fan of Shakespeare and has dragged her friends along with her to plays on more than one occasion, Danny at least knows this much.

Mr. Lancer, taken aback by this newfound eagerness, raises an eyebrow in disbelief. "That's right…" He confirms, a small smile forming. It is exceedingly rare for any of his students to take a real interest in the finer arts, and for _Daniel Fenton_ to do so? Mr. Lancer can't help but feel this is nothing short of a miracle.

"Cool!" Danny cheers, than narrowing his eyes slightly he adds mischievously, "I can't wait to tell my parents _all_ about it."

Realizing what Danny is getting at, the teacher pales considerably. Any good feelings that were forming vanish at once. If the Ghost Hunters heard that he is teaching something involving a _good_ ghost? It would be nothing short of a disaster. "Now Mr. Fenton-" He starts anxiously.

"Yeah, Mr. Lancer?" Danny deliberately cuts in, smiling oh-so-innocently. It is taking all his willpower not to burst out laughing right then and there.

"This is just a story," he finishes. "Surely you understand the difference between fact and fiction?"

"So are you saying that there is no such thing as a good ghost?" Danny inquires with a mix of honest curiosity and growing amusement. _I'm on a roll today!_ He thinks triumphantly while Sam shakes in repressed laughter beside him. Tucker is still oblivious to all but _Silvia_.

Lancer meanwhile stands there, flustered and decidedly unamused as students all around send their teacher critical, borderlining outright hostile looks. Unlike the somehow still heavily divided adult population of Amity Park, the overall opinion of the students and children is generally this... Danny Phantom is a hero, _their_ hero, and any hint otherwise might as well be considered a personal insult to them. Now, that's not to say that Mr. Lancer is _afraid_ of a bunch of moody teenagers, not in the least. Yet... having his students hate him is not ideal for their education. (It also makes his life just that much more miserable, and may cost him his job if it gets bad enough).

So, sucking up his pride and any personal opinion he might have, he responds sternly. "That is not for me to say one way or another." He glances around at his class. "You children are aspiring critical thinkers and upright citizens of this society. With that in mind, it is not my place to tell you what to think, but instead to give you the tools needed to formulate your own opinions." He determines firmly, his answer managing to placate the majority of the class... Although there are still a few who can't help but not-so-discreetly shoot him dirty looks. He ignores them. "Now, if you will please turn to page two hundred and fifty two inside your world literature textbook, we can begin… Would someone like to volunteer for reading the preface? It will explain a bit of background for the play… no? Come on, people. Isn't anyone interested? Not even with the next school play being Hamlet?"

"School play?"

"Ah, Miss Sanchez. I thought you might be interested. Yes, the next and final school play this year will indeed be Hamlet…" Paulina makes a show of being mildly interested to stay in the good-graces of her teacher while acting like she is above such petty things… It makes Sam's blood boil. Usually she could care less if Paulina gets the main role (which she always has since early middle school), but Hamlet is a play near and dear to the goth's little black heart… And she isn't about to allow some stuck up, whiny witch ruin it for her. A diabolical plan begins to form in Sam's mind... _The wicked witch of the west is trying out for the wrong play..._

"Who is the main female protagonist?" Paulina inquires with layered sweetness.

The English teacher replies accordingly. "Well, there are two. The Queen and a young noble by the name of Ophelia. She is the lover of the prince and-"

"Ooh! I'll read aloud her part in class, if that's ok?"

"Of course, but I still need someone to read the background…?" Paulina pretends like she didn't hear the last suggestion. Mr. Lancer sighs. "Alright, I will read it." And he does. By this point though, Danny has tuned him out, letting his mind wander. He thinks back to earlier that day. Right after discovering the unnerving pictures hidden in Paulina's personal gallery, the bell had rung. Team Phantom, not wanting to gain any more detention than absolutely necessary, reluctantly went to English class. Danny takes the time now to mull over all that he's learned. _Why does Paulina have so many pictures of me? She couldn't actually like me for me… right? Not to mention, Dash can't act to save his life… and he apologized? Does that mean he really meant it?_ It's hard for Danny to picture Dash as anything but his tormentor… Although… He remembers the time they were both shrunk by his dad's invention. Dash acted nothing short of a starstruck fanboy.

 _Geez, I haven't thought of that day in a loooong time. It was one of my more freaky adventures, so after all was said and done I was happy to forget it… Could Dash actually have realized though that I'm both Fenton and Phantom? I mean, Clockwork knows that only the stupidest idiot can't put two and two together- not after seeing my bit-by-bit transformation back to human form... maybe Dash is not as stupid as I'd like to think….?_ Danny really ponders this idea, eyebrows furrowing in intense thought. With Dash a constant menace and presence in Danny's life since sixth grade, he's sure he knows the blonde pretty well by now.

So Danny thinks. Thinks of Dash's sucky grades (mainly comprising of Ds and Fs). Thinks of his inability to keep a girlfriend for more than a few weeks and the fact that to this day Dash doesn't know _why_ this is true. Thinks of how the blonde constantly blames Danny for personal failings like a five year old, like the whole freakin' world revolves around him. _Doesn't Jazz have a word for that? Um, ego-something. Egocentrism?_ Finally, Danny thinks of Dash's obliviousness to his near-constant possession. For some reason the ghosts seem to have chosen the jock as their favorite meat suit, taking control of the high schooler for hours on average. At one point (that Danny can't help but remember with a bit of honest guilt) even a couple of days. Yet somehow, someway, Dash _neve_ r seems to realize a thing…

"Pssst-" Danny blinks, jolted from his musings. He turns to see Tucker discreetly waving his PDA at him. Getting the idea, Danny carefully takes out his phone and turns it on beneath his desk. He quickly inputs his code and it unlocks to his home screen, the background a picture of connected constellations in a night sky. He notices that he has several new texts and clicks on his messenger app.

 **Tucker F.  
** girls r talking about u! As in Fenton u. Forwarding texts now…

 **Mandy M.**  
oh lol, can't believe the dweb told baldy off and actually got away with it!1

 **Star H.**

big deal. The fatty will just take revenge a diff way, prob give extra hw or something. What do u think, Paulina?

 **Paulina S.**

Amigas. concentrate. We tots are on a mission! Isn't it weird that Danny hasn't even talked to us yet? Dash actually gave him his file!

 **Mandy M.**

where is that hottie, anyways?

 **Star H.**

the dork? 4 real?

 **Mandy M.**

ewww! no, gross. I meant Dash! love of my life. hello

 **Paulina S.**  
Ugh. Chica, you're new to Casper so plz believe me when I say u r better off w/out the brute. He's an OK poster boy but not good 4 much else. Anyways, I wouldn't be surprised if he really is in the nurse's office.

Danny's wide blue eyes are glued to the small screen as he quickly texts Tucker back.

 **Danny F.**

Buuuurn. This is so awesome!

 **Tucker F.  
** Ha! Ik what you mean man. I wonder if Dash knows what his _friends_ think of him?

A moment later the best friends share a smirk, both thinking along the same lines. _Nah. Not a chance!_

"Mr. Fenton." Unimpressed Lancer is unimpressed.

"Er, yes?" Danny quickly responds, smirk swiftly transforming into an _oh shit_ expression. _Why can't Lancer pick on some other poor guy for just one day?_

"It's _your_ turn- hm? Is there something _glowing_ underneath your desk." Danny shifts, wondering how he forgot to turn down the screen brightness. "Don't. Move," the teacher snaps with a frown, walking over to the boy. Inwardly Danny is cursing in his usual fashion. _Gosh-darn-freaking-heck-shiz-_ After his mother (purposely) washed his mouth out with (accidentally) ectoplasmic infected soap a year back, Danny determined to never actually cuss again. Apparently, this has transferred over to even the relative safety of his mind. Well, at least he doesn't curse via pastries or well-known literature…

Danny slumps in defeat. He turns off his phone, but doesn't bother to hide it since the only place would be in his desk or under one leg. Knowing Lancer, he would definitely find it in either lame hiding place- _Wait! Invisibility, duh!_ Opening his hand until it's flat, he concentrates on turning his phone invisible. _Ha! No detention for m-_

"Wait!" Paulina cries, startling everyone and making Danny jolt in surprise. Much to his horror, the abrupt action sends his phone flying off his hand and skidding across the floor. Danny shuts his eyes tightly. _Why'd I have to tempt Murphy? Why?!_

Mr. Lancer immediately notices this, but before the teacher can accuse Danny further or ask Paulina what's wrong, the A-lister girl adopts a regretful persona. "I'm really sorry Mr. Lancer, but I was the one texting Danny and distracting him," she lies through her pretty, perfect teeth, raising her pink phone with one manicured hand. "If you want to give anyone detention, give it to me. Danny was just being a gentleman after all."

Mr. Lancer gives her a cool look, carefully masking his shock. The rest of the class appears to be having seizures at varying intensities. It is almost as bad as when Paulina announced that she was dating Danny at the beginning of the school year, not that that phase lasted long. Maybe this wouldn't either? The thought calms some people down. "Miss Paulina, I hardly call texting in class 'being a gentleman', although I do applaud you in your bravery to admitting the truth…"

"Why'd you do that?" Nathan, one of the nerds, asks with burning curiosity. It is unclear whether he means texting _Danny_ of all people or actually admitting to it. Probably both. _Maybe if I can figure out what Danny is doing right, I can text Val without being blocked or called a stalker!_ The thought excites him into grinning, a grin that soons vanishes come Paulina's next words.

"Didn't you hear?" Paulina inquires with an air of mildly surprised innocence. "Danny is an A-lister now…. _The_ A-lister." Gasps. Cries of shock. The Grand Wizard Mickey (aka head freshman nerd) falls off his chair. Yet Sam, with her keen eyes, notes that the other A-listers do none of these things.

"No wonder Dash is in the _nurse's office_!" Mickey hisses to a friend probably louder than intended as he struggles back into his chair.

"Probably too ashamed to show his face," his friend adds in the same shouting whisper. They know that if Danny is _the_ A-lister now, Dash can't be any more.

"Isn't that right, Danny?" Paulina's soft voice somehow manages to break through the shocked din. She flutters her eyelashes sweetly at him.

"Uhhh…." Danny responds intelligently, wide eyed like a deer in the highlights. Should he agree? Deny? Run? Scream? All of the above? Sam reaches over to him and gives her friend a harsh pinch. Danny winces. _Thanks,_ he mouths to her who returns his unspoken word with a solemn nod. She fixes a glare on the hispanic A-lister, who ignores her completely.

Fortunately, having enough of this teenage melodrama, Mr. Lancer sternly orders Paulina to sit down. She does so reluctantly, only to shoot up a moment later at what Mr. Lancer says following. "Detention. Both of you, this evening at five o'clock sharp."

"You can't be serious!" Paulina raves and rants. Despite earlier words, it would seem she didn't expect the teacher to _actually_ give her detention.

"I am and I fully expect you to be there, Miss Sanchez. I could make this worse, only refraining because you volunteered the truth. I can easily take back my generosity, though." Danny winces, fully expecting Paulina to now drop her nice act and start yelling at him instead. Much to the surprise of Team Phantom however, she merely plops back into her seat and fumes, refusing to look at anyone. Mr. Lancer sighs for a second time that day, confiscating both Danny's and Paulina's phones. "Now then. Mr. Fenton, you will read the part of Marcellus aloud." Danny's gaze drops to his book, mind numb. Almost robotically he begins reading. He's not sure how much more of this craziness he can take...

Suddenly- A blue mist emerges from Danny's mouth. "I AM THE _BOX_ GHOST. ALL WILL FEAR THE WRATH OF… FOOTBALL SPORTING EQUIPMENT KNEE PADS #3. YES, RUN AND TREMBLE YOU PATHETIC HUMANS!" comes a distant, but nonetheless evident, shout from somewhere in Casper High. _Hello misplaced aggression…._ Danny purrs mentally, hopping up to his feet without much thought. He's not the only one, although most of the other students do so for a very different reason.

"And where do all of you think you're going?" Mr. Lancer questions sharply.

Danny stares at him like he's stupid. "Uh, there's a _ghost_."

"A ghost that is more of a nuisance than menace. If this school continues to shut down for the day every time a ghost appears, you children will never learn anything. Already, this county has some of the worst grades for your age group in all the state. Now sit down." Then, if that isn't enough... "Besides, I'm sure Mr. Phantom will arrive shortly and take care of the problem."

Incredulous and frustrated beyond belief, Danny falls back onto his chair and proceeds to faceplant on his desk. "Mr. Fenton! I said there will be no sleeping in my class today!" Danny yanks at his raven locks, resisting the urge to scream. _So much for being on a roll today…_

* * *

 **Girl-of-Action- Wowa! I did not expect this little blurp of imagination to get so much attention! Thank you to all my reviewers/favers/followers/readers-in-general! Anyways, I hope you liked the second chapter. It was painful to write via text speak, but besides that I had fun. Hints were dropped, certain things revealed… Leave me your thoughts on the way out please! Thanks again for reading. ^^**


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